Cyclones Meet Xavier In NIT Season Tip-Off

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State meets Xavier Wednesday in their first contest away from home at the NIT Season Tip-Off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The Matchup: Iowa State (4-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. Xavier (4-0, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Where: Brooklyn, New York - Barclays Center
When: Wednesday, Nov. 24, 6 p.m. (CST)
Radio: Cyclone Radio Network/Varsity Radio App
Talent: Chris Williams (PxP), Scott Christopherson (Analyst)
TV: ESPNU
Talent: Rich Hollenberg (PxP), Fran Fraschilla (Analyst)
Webcast: WatchESPN
Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com

KEY STORYLINES
- T.J. Otzelberger, who won his 100th game in the season opener, is 4-0 as head coach of the Cyclones ... he looks to become just the fifth of 21 Cyclone head coaches to start their career 5-0.
- The Cyclones have already doubled their win total from a season ago.
- The Cyclones have held three straight opponents to 60 points or less for the first time since early in the 2018-19 season ... opponents are shooting 36.6 percent from the field during the stretch and have made just 12-of-51 three-pointers (23.5 percent) during that stretch... ISU has forced 76 turnovers this season (19.0 tpg).
- Izaiah Brockington is leading the Cyclones with 13.5 points and 8.3 rebounds despite foul trouble limiting the transfer from Penn State to just three points and two rebounds in ISU's last outing ... he is the only player in the Big 12 averaging 13-8.
- Aljaz Kunc matched the ISU school record going 5-for-5 behind the arc (7-7 FG) against Grambling State ... the Washington State transfer scored a career-high 21 points off the bench Sunday ... he's the only player nationally this season to go at least 7-for-7 from the field and 5-for-5 behind the arc.
- Freshman guard Tyrese Hunter is averaging 12.8 points and six assists ... he's one of two true freshman nationally averaging 12 points and six assists ... Hunter has at least five assists in all four games this season.
- KU transfer Tristan Enaruna had his best career game, finishing with highs of 15 points and nine rebounds against Grambling State.
- The Cyclones have already snapped losing streaks of 18-straight games overall, eight home games and 25 games against power conference opponents.

LAST TIME OUT
- Iowa State connected on 13-of-25 three-pointers on its way to its biggest win of the season, defeating Grambling State, 82-47, Sunday night at Hilton Coliseum ... Aljaz Kunc had one of the best shooting performances in school history, making all seven field goals and going 5-for-5 behind the arc to score a career-high 21 points ... Kunc was one of five Cyclones in double figures, including three off the bench ... ISU had a season-high 50 bench points, including 12 from Tre Jackson (4-7 3FG) and 10 from Caleb Grill (2-5 3FG) ... ISU had 21 assists on 29 field goals and outrebounded the Tigers, 46-22.

ISU VERSUS XAVIER
- The Cyclones and the Musketeers will meet for the third time in series history ... the teams have split the previous two meetings ... ISU and Xavier are playing in the same tournament for the second time in the last four seasons, having been in the field of the 2018 Maui Invitational, though they didn't meet.
- This will be Otzelberger's first game against a Big East foe as a head coach ... the Cyclones will also face Creighton this season ... Iowa State is 23-37 all-time against teams in the current Big East.
- Former Iowa player Jack Nunge is now a member of the Xavier program ... Nunge played in two games against the Cyclones, averaging 16.5 points and 9 rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field ... ISU was 1-1 against Iowa in games Nunge played.
- Xavier assistant Jonas Hayes scored 12 points against Iowa State in a 2004 NIT game at Hilton Coliseum while he was a student-athlete at Georgia ... ISU won the game 82-74 on the way to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

To read the complete release, click here.

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Players Mentioned

Izaiah Brockington

Tristan Enaruna

Caleb Grill

Tyrese Hunter

Tre Jackson

Sponsors

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